You know what? We're ALL skeptics...

I am posting this thread in the Rant section even though it is not really a rant. Simply have no clue as to where to put this one.

You know what? We’re ALL skeptics…

Here is a pretty good description of what skepticism (or scepticism) is:

Skepticism or scepticism (see American and British English spelling differences) is generally any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts,
or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere.

- For the remainder of this thread, if I may, I will choose to use the term skeptic instead of sceptic. Thank you.

Please let me re-emphasize those words, once more, in bold letters:

Skepticism or scepticism (see American and British English spelling differences) is generally any questioning attitude towards knowledge,
facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere.

Now, if I understand this description correctly, we are all skeptics one way or another.

Let me try to explain…

Throughout our lives, we gather experiences, we learn different things and we personally conclude between two options: Either we believe in something,
or we don’t. And that’s all of us.

So what does skepticism have to do with that?

Well, skepticism is questioning claims, facts and innuendos in subjects that keep us sitting on the fence. In other words, we sometimes sit on the
fence regarding certain subjects and we tend to question the belief itself. In one way or another, on different subjects, we all do.

Unless someone is aiming for the Most gullible person on this planet Award, we all question different subjects. No matter whom we are, no
matter our environment, no matter our upbringing, no matter our education or where we live in this world. We all do.

Examples:

Perhaps, you believe in God but are skeptic when it comes to the claim that it was written by God. Or perhaps you believe in a superior energy but are
skeptic that Jesus is the son of God. Or maybe you believe in extraterrestrial life being somewhere in this universe but are skeptic about aliens
visiting us. Or, perhaps you believe the 9-11 official story but are skeptic about it being the reason for going to war with Irak. Or maybe you
believe in ghosts but are skeptical about fairies. Maybe, you believe in an afterlife but are skeptical about reincarnation. Perhaps you believe in
spirituality but are skeptical about religions in general. Perhaps, you believe in a democratic system but are skeptical of your own government. Or
maybe you believe in medicine but are skeptical about the pharmaceutical industry. Maybe you believe that we went to the moon but are skeptical that
we ever landed a man on it…and I go on and on and on and on…

Following so far?

So, if I may ask, what is the point of wilfully insulting someone who has a different point of view by calling him or her a skeptic? If so, you might
have the wrong choice of words.

Perhaps you mean that he or she is a denier or a naysayer or a non believer. Nevertheless, I will agree that some non believers actually put on the
skeptical mask when it suits them. I’ve seen some pretty hard core believers do the same. But that notion could be for another thread altogether.
Faked skepticism.

Skepticism, real skepticism is healthy. Not only here on ATS, but in our everyday lives as well. It makes common sense to question when we are
unsure of a fact, or an opinion, or a claim or a shady source.

What isn’t healthy, is to back off from a discussion, accusing others of being skeptics when all it is, really, is a divergence in opinions. Not too
healthy either to stick with the discussion while getting all upset and starting slinging insults, such as calling our opponent a skeptic. I would say
that both those actions flirt with immaturity.

I fully understand that this thread will go way over certain member’s heads. They cannot be wrong in their beliefs, or non beliefs, no matter what
it is. Except for having an open mind to accumulate more knowledge on the said belief one way or another, there is simply no cure for such an
attitude.

Skepticism is questioning and questioning is healthy. Simple, really.

Whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not, whether you agree with me or not…

Many interesting and astute points you bring to the table Son. I too, see the word skeptic being used as a battering ram by some people when they are
confronted with a differing point of view from other members.

I make myself remember to way back when, I was young, and everything dealing with certain subjects was a new concept to me. How open my mind was, to
just about anything, even if it made no logical sense. It was new to me, therefor I ate it up like a box of chocolates. I scarfed down every single
book I could get my hands on...I feasted on T. Lobsang Rampa, beleiving every word I read....Chariots of the Gods...what a meal that was.

The naivety that comes with youth can be such a driving force. It's just different chocolates in the box, these days. I have to force myself to
remember my own naivety as a youth when reading some of the threads here. I try to temper my replies these days...at least some of the time, by
reading them with the reflection of myself in my young, eager for something new, enthusiasm.

As far as being a skeptic. I am much more of a skeptic now, than I ever was many years ago. Do I still hold many of the beliefs I did then? Yes, I
do. But they are now whittled down by logic, with a much narrower window of acceptance, yet still open enough to let new in.

Whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not, whether you agree with me or not…

You’re a skeptic.

Thats not a very skeptical attitude. Did you conundrum yourself there?

But i agree with most of what you ranted about. The internet is rich breeding ground for here say. We can't actually prove anything. The requirements
for proof fall far short of the requirements in a court of law, for instance. Its easy to here say though… just repeat what you read and send it
down the line.

Once a million people repeat it it takes on its own "proof". If everyone agrees with something it must be true, right?

The sun is too bright, the moon has reversed position, the towers didn't free fall and Disclosure is any day now.

Haven't heard those recently, maybe the proof is in the preponderance of BS, not the lack of it. Skepticism is forced upon us despite out best denial
mechanisms.

Its easy to here say though… just repeat what you read and send it down the line.

Excellent point.

In some way, isn't it what we all do?

True that. But, we didn't have the internet and CG and utube to make things go viral back in my time. It appears these days, if it flashes in front
of your eyes enough times...it must be true.

That is what I have a hard time with. Now, in order to make a point if I feel something someone is saying is not true. It means a lot of research,
supplying links to said research, and rebuilding a foundation of their idea on solid data, not just what they snagged off the merry-go-round of
what's hot, making the rounds at any given time.

Of course you are correct. Rarely however do people actually use all words the way they were intended. Being active on forums relating to bigfoot, as
that is my main area of research, I have come to define skepticism in my own way. This is because there are naysayers calling themselves skeptics, and
I felt that this was not the correct usage, for one major reason...A naysayer is the term I use to describe someone who has made up their mind. I
reserve the term skeptic for someone who may very well not believe in something, but who is open to the possibility. I just feel that true skepticism
should be questioning, but not the point of denial.

Even if something cannot be proven, the evidence that is available should be enough to cause a true skeptic, in my opinion, to admit that there very
well could be something going on there. Heck, even without the evidence. I cannot sit here and say "fairies" aren't real, because how could I know
that? By not having ever seen a fairy? It does not work that way, as we all should know. Not seeing something has no real bearing on its existence. So
I would call myself a skeptic in that regard. I will not come right out and say that I am positive about the non-existence of fairies, even if I do
not think they exist.

Again, you are quite correct in your interpretation, and I just wanted to take a different approach involving my personal experience.

Since skeptics tend to sit in the middle on most issues, we get a bashing from believers and debunkers alike.

I would say that it depends on the topic. Some topics have people that are so utterly convinced in their beliefs that the simple fact of questioning
the belief will rise ire. Probably why I tend to avoid the religion and chemtrail boards lol...

Some political topics I also avoid. Too bad, in a certain way, because some interesting conversations could flourish but I'm just not the type of
person to stand in front of a line up of people that are just standing there, waiting to punch my face in lol...

This thread, hopefully, might get some members to re-evaluate their stance when it comes to skeptics...

This content community relies on user-generated content from our member contributors. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression.